Abstract: A sliding material composition comprising a polymer component comprising (A) a high-density polyethylene and (B) an olefin block copolymer; and (C) a silane coupling agent; wherein the Si content is 0.1 to 15% by mass based on the mass of the entire sliding material composition. The sliding material composition has the same level of slidability as a resin to which particles are added.

Abstract: A sliding material composition comprising a polymer component comprising (A) a high-density polyethylene and (B) an olefin block copolymer; and (C) a silane coupling agent; wherein the Si content is 0.1 to 15% by mass based on the mass of the entire sliding material composition. The sliding material composition has the same level of slidability as a resin to which particles are added.

Abstract: A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions which cause a computer to execute processing steps that calculate a light intensity distribution formed on an image plane of a projection optical system. When executed, the medium causes a computer to execute the steps of dividing an effective light source into the plurality of areas, generating, for each of the plurality of areas, a plurality of shifted pupil functions by shifting a pupil function in accordance with a position of each of divided point sources, defining, for each of the plurality of areas, a matrix including the plurality of pupil functions, calculating, for each of the plurality of areas, eigenvalues and eigenfunctions by performing singular value decomposition of the matrix, and calculating, for each of the plurality of areas, the light intensity distribution based on a diffracted light distribution from the mask and the eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with exposure light, includes a projection optical system which projects a pattern image of an original onto the substrate; a first illumination unit which illuminates the original with the exposure light; and a second illumination unit which guides illumination light that is different from the exposure light for exposing the substrate to the projection optical system, the second illumination unit includes a modifier which modifies an illumination distribution of the illumination light entering an optical element near a pupil of the projection optical system and an optical element which is the closest to the original in the projection optical system.

Abstract: A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions which cause a computer to execute processing steps that calculate a light intensity distribution formed on an image plane of a projection optical system. When executed, the medium causes a computer to execute the steps of dividing an effective light source into the plurality of areas, generating, for each of the plurality of areas, a plurality of shifted pupil functions by shifting a pupil function in accordance with a position of each of divided point sources, defining, for each of the plurality of areas, a matrix including the plurality of pupil functions, calculating, for each of the plurality of areas, eigenvalues and eigenfunctions by performing singular value decomposition of the matrix, and calculating, for each of the plurality of areas, the light intensity distribution based on a diffracted light distribution from the mask and the eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions.

Abstract: A projection optical system having a multilayered film mirror arranged to provide an approximately uniform reflectance throughout a predetermined light incidence angle range to thereby assure a desired optical performance. A projection exposure apparatus having such a projection optical system, and a device manufacturing method using such an exposure apparatus. A non-periodic film is used in a reflection multilayered film upon a mirror having a largest light incidence angle range or a mirror having a largest average of light incidence angle, and this effectively reduces a pupil transmittance distribution in the projection optical system.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with exposure light, comprises a projection optical system which projects a pattern image of an original onto the substrate; a first illumination unit which illuminates the original with the exposure light; and a second illumination unit which guides illumination light that is different from the exposure light for exposing the substrate to the projection optical system, the second illumination unit includes a modifier which modifies an illumination distribution of the illumination light entering an optical element near a pupil of the projection optical system and an optical element which is the closest to the original in the projection optical system.

Abstract: A pattern monitoring method for an exposure apparatus that includes an optical modulator having at least one element that provides incident light with plural phase differences, and a projection optical system that uses first diffracted light among lights exited from the optical modulator to project a pattern onto an object to be exposed includes the steps of detecting second diffracted light having an order different from that of the first diffracted light among the lights exited from the optical modulator, and obtaining a state of the pattern projected onto the object based on a detection result by the detecting step.

Abstract: There is provided an interferometer for measuring a surface shape of an optical element using interference, including a reference wave-front generating unit for generating a reference wave front for measuring the surface shape, which is provided in a target optical path, and includes an Alvarez lens.

Abstract: A projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a first object onto a second object. The projection optical system includes a field stop provided to an optical element in the projection optical system, which is closest to the second object. The field stop is provided for shielding the outside of a pattern projected area on the second object.

Abstract: A pattern monitoring method for an exposure apparatus that includes an optical modulator having at least one element that provides incident light with plural phase differences, and a projection optical system that uses first diffracted light among lights exited from the optical modulator to project a pattern onto an object to be exposed includes the steps of detecting second diffracted light having an order different from that of the first diffracted light among the lights exited from the optical modulator, and obtaining a state of the pattern projected onto the object based on a detection result by the detecting step.

Abstract: Disclosed is a projection optical system having a multilayered film mirror arranged to provide an approximately uniform reflectance throughout a predetermined light incidence angle range to thereby assure a desired optical performance. Also disclosed is a projection exposure apparatus having such a projection optical system, and a device manufacturing method using such an exposure apparatus. A non-periodic film is used in a reflection multilayered film upon a mirror having a largest light incidence angle range or a mirror having a largest average of light incidence angle, and this effectively reduces a pupil transmittance distribution in the projection optical system.

Abstract: A method for correcting a surface shape includes the steps of scraping a multilayer film formed on the substrate's surface of an optical element, and correcting the surface shape of the optical element by detecting the amount of scraping.

Abstract: An optical unit includes a first optical element and a second optical element, wherein the first optical element has a protrusion while the second optical element has a recess. The relative alignment between the first and second optical elements is accomplished by engagement of the protrusion and the recess.

Abstract: An optical system includes an aperture stop and binary optics having a plurality of rings disposed adjacent to the aperture stop. The rings of the binary optics have different mutual intervals and have a step-like structure formed at each interval. When the interval of arbitrary rings of the rings, which are juxtaposed with each other, is T and the number of steps defined in that interval is N, the following relation is satisfied in all the rings included in the binary optics 16≧N≧T·sin &thgr;h/&lgr;, where &lgr; is a representative value for a wavelength of light used in the optical system, and &thgr;h is an angle defined, with respect to an optical axis of the optical system, by a light ray emitted from an object point at a largest object height and passing a center of the aperture stop.

Abstract: An optical unit including a first optical element and a second optical element, wherein the first optical element has a protrusion while the second optical element has a recess, and wherein the relative alignment between the first and second optical elements is accomplished by engagement of the protrusion and the recess.

Abstract: There is provided an interferometer for measuring a surface shape of an optical element using interference, including a reference wave-front generating unit for generating a reference wave front for measuring the surface shape, which is provided in a target optical path, and includes an Alvarez lens.

Abstract: An illumination optical system for use in an exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern of a mask onto a substrate. The illumination system includes a first beam shape changing optical system for transforming a light, supplied from a light source, into a slit-like light of an oblong shape, and a second beam shape changing optical system for transforming the slit-like light of oblong shape into a slit-like light of an arcuate shape, the second beam shape changing optical system having a prism element. The mask is illuminated with the slit-like light of arcuate shape.

Abstract: A phase type computer hologram has a plurality of cells for applying a predetermined phase to different portions of a wavefront of light, wherein no phase skip larger than &pgr; is present in the cells. Such a phase type computer hologram can be produced by a process of determining phases for a plurality of cells, respectively, smoothening a distribution of the phases of the cells, by shifting the phase of at least one of the cells by 2&pgr;, and forming, on a substrate, the cells whose phase distribution is smoothened in the smoothening step.

Abstract: An illumination optical system includes a first beam shape changing optical system for transforming a light, supplied from a light source, into a slit-like light of oblong shape, and a second beam shape changing optical system for transforming the slit-like light of oblong shape into a slit-like light of arcuate shape, wherein the second beam shape changing optical system has a prism element, and wherein the illumination optical system can be used to illuminate a surface, to be illuminated, with use of the slit-like light of arcuate shape.